“It is right that there should be greater transparency and more scrutiny of senior management’s remuneration, appointments and decisions.

“The report puts control of universities back into the hands of the academic community and, at a stroke, removes the dictatorial management systems which have led to many of the other issues we will be discussing today.”

Delegates will also debate other issues, including management systems, workloads, outsourcing, satellite campuses and health and safety and there will be a special session on constitutional reform and the implications for higher education.